Recent developments in computerized tomography have enabled the location and diagnosis of brain lesions when they are extremely small. Prior art surgical methods for gaining access to the locations of large lesions, such as those over 3 centimeters in diameter, caused deleterious symptoms; however, those symptoms were typically minor compared to the symptoms caused by the lesion or the surgery performed thereon. The application of such techniques to enable access to presently-locatable lesions of a diameter of 5 millimeters or less, can produce symptoms of great magnitude compared to those resulting from just the removal or repair of the lesion.
Apparatus which enabled access to brain lesions, such as tumors, hematomas and aneurysms, to enable the viewing of the lesion through an endoscope or the like and to enable the application of surgical instruments to the lesion, all while causing minimal disruption of tissue leading to the lesion, would aid in performing more successful operations.